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costume design
Costume Design
1860 (designed)
1860 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This is one of a set of seven designs by Richard Wynn Keene or Dykwynkyn (1809-1887), for an assortment of comic Knights in the first Christmas pantomime ever staged at Her Majesty's Theatre. Harlequin and Tom Thumb!, or, Merlin The Magician and the Good Fairies of the Court of King Arthur, which opened on Christmas Eve 1860, was by all accounts a splendid pantomime, with brilliant set designs supervised by the well-known scene designer William Beverley, and remarkable costumes and the pantomime 'big heads' designed by the artist, sculptor, mask and property maker and costume designer known as Dykwynkyn. The heads traditionally featured in the opening of pantomimes at this date, and their design was a speciality of Dykwynkyn's.
The Knights in Tom Thumb appeared in 'The Banqueting Hall in the Palace of King Arthur', the scene in the Harlequinade in which Tom Thumb lived in King Arthur's Court.
The Knights in Tom Thumb appeared in 'The Banqueting Hall in the Palace of King Arthur', the scene in the Harlequinade in which Tom Thumb lived in King Arthur's Court.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | costume design (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil and watercolour on paper |
| Brief description | Costume design for 'The Dark Knight', one of several Knight designs for the pantomime Harlequin and Tom Thumb! or, Merlin The Magician, & the Good Fairies of the Court of King Arthur, Her Majesty's Theatre, 24 December 1860. Pencil and watercolour by 'Dykwynkyn' - Richard Wynn Keene (1809-1887) |
| Physical description | Pencil and watercolour costume design on cream paper for 'The Dark Knight', depicting a knight in chain mail, balancing on the ball of his right foot and playing a long-necked lute-like instrument which he holds in his left hand while strumming it with his right. He wears an eagle-surmounted helmet, a blue and white star-patterned tabard, and red and white striped skirt. The sheet of cream paper has been cut and pasted on to a buff-coloured paper support, with the title 'THE DARK KNIGHT' and other pencil inscriptions on the margin of the supporting sheet. A pencilled sketch verso shows the Knight's shield with its inscription 'Semper Hide'. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs. W.W. Smith |
| Object history | NB. The term “Dark” was used historically in Britain and North America to describe people of black African heritage. However, since the early 20th century its use has become increasingly offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This is one of a set of seven designs by Richard Wynn Keene or Dykwynkyn (1809-1887), for an assortment of comic Knights in the first Christmas pantomime ever staged at Her Majesty's Theatre. Harlequin and Tom Thumb!, or, Merlin The Magician and the Good Fairies of the Court of King Arthur, which opened on Christmas Eve 1860, was by all accounts a splendid pantomime, with brilliant set designs supervised by the well-known scene designer William Beverley, and remarkable costumes and the pantomime 'big heads' designed by the artist, sculptor, mask and property maker and costume designer known as Dykwynkyn. The heads traditionally featured in the opening of pantomimes at this date, and their design was a speciality of Dykwynkyn's. The Knights in Tom Thumb appeared in 'The Banqueting Hall in the Palace of King Arthur', the scene in the Harlequinade in which Tom Thumb lived in King Arthur's Court. |
| Associated objects |
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| Other number | S.6-2008 - Cancelled number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.737-1987 |
About this object record
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| Record created | January 17, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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